Saturday, June 04, 2005
Uh-oh, Mr Musharraf
Pakistan has always denied ever helping the terrorists in Kashmir except for providing them with "moral support." No material support or military training was their constant refrain. Many of you know that the Hurriyat leaders are now on a trip to POK and the group includes Yasin Malik. The trip had a great deal of support from Gen Musharraf's government too. Until Yasin Malik decided to talk, i.e.
A top separatist [Yasin Malik] in Indian-administered Kashmir says he made eight clandestine trips to Pakistan at the start of a militant uprising against Indian rule. "My first trip for arms and training was in June 1988," separatist leader Yasin Malik told the BBC News website. Mr Malik's remarks are the first public admission by a Kashmiri separatist leader that arms and training were supplied from Pakistan-administered Kashmir. When asked about Mr Malik's comments, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri said he did not want to be dragged into the debate. "Don't ask me about it," he said. "Ask them."
"It wasn't very heavy training," he [Malik] said. "Basically, you don't need very sophisticated training to start a resistance movement. "It is the romance associated with being a guerilla fighter that keeps you going. "We would carry weapons from here into Indian-administered Kashmir." Mr Malik told the AFP news agency that his secret trips had been "cloak-and-dagger, life-and-death, heart-in-mouth affairs".
Not that any of this comes as comes as news to anyone in India. Nevertheless, it may be interesting information for those in the West who continue to believe Pakistan's BS about not arming and aiding terrorists who operate both in Kashmir and Afghanistan. As for Musharraf himself, it'll be entertaining to watch what lies he will concoct to get out of this PR debacle.
A top separatist [Yasin Malik] in Indian-administered Kashmir says he made eight clandestine trips to Pakistan at the start of a militant uprising against Indian rule. "My first trip for arms and training was in June 1988," separatist leader Yasin Malik told the BBC News website. Mr Malik's remarks are the first public admission by a Kashmiri separatist leader that arms and training were supplied from Pakistan-administered Kashmir. When asked about Mr Malik's comments, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri said he did not want to be dragged into the debate. "Don't ask me about it," he said. "Ask them."
"It wasn't very heavy training," he [Malik] said. "Basically, you don't need very sophisticated training to start a resistance movement. "It is the romance associated with being a guerilla fighter that keeps you going. "We would carry weapons from here into Indian-administered Kashmir." Mr Malik told the AFP news agency that his secret trips had been "cloak-and-dagger, life-and-death, heart-in-mouth affairs".
Not that any of this comes as comes as news to anyone in India. Nevertheless, it may be interesting information for those in the West who continue to believe Pakistan's BS about not arming and aiding terrorists who operate both in Kashmir and Afghanistan. As for Musharraf himself, it'll be entertaining to watch what lies he will concoct to get out of this PR debacle.
